Drifting Away
by Paige242
Summary: David and Sirena's son struggles to cope with becoming a merman and David does his best to help him through it. (Future Fic)


_A/N- I wanted to write something about the next generation (and speculate about what the various combinations of mer-human relationships might result in)._

 _This is set about 25 years in the future. David and Serena have two children, as do Zac and Evie. Carly and Cam have three._

 _Enjoy!_

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"Come on Ethan, everyone is waiting for us out back."

David heard his wife call out to their son and he turned back towards the car. He had assumed that the boy had been following them up the steps to Zac and Evie's house but, apparently, he was still lingering a few metres back.

Even though it was Ethan's birthday, the boy had been quiet and withdrawn for most of the day—and it appeared than not even a barbeque thrown in his honour was going to pull him out of this state. Most days, David would have been perplexed by his son's odd behaviour. After all, the preteen was usually lively and outgoing and he loved getting together with his unofficial cousins for "family" gatherings.

Today, however, was different.

Ethan was turning thirteen and, for someone with his unique lineage, that meant that his life was about to change forever…

After the sun set, everything would be different.

In all honesty, David had not (at first) considered all of the complications that spending his life with a mermaid might entail. He loved Sirena, of course. He always had and he always would. And he had meant what he said when she had first trusted him with her secret. He thought mermaids were amazing, and he had been thrilled to be a peripheral part of the incredible world she was born into.

But, while he fully accepted her for what she was, he had never spent much time thinking about how it might impact his future family.

Like it or not, choosing to marry and have children with a mermaid raised unique challenges—and while he had no regrets and would not have traded Sirena for anyone in the world, he did wish that he had given himself more time to prepare for the inevitable.

After their wedding, when the thought of children had crossed his mind, he had started to wonder what it might mean to have a human father and a mermaid mother. Unfortunately, when he had finally raised the question, Sirena and the others had been unable to provide a clear answer. There weren't any books on the subject (mermaid culture was oral, and they did not keep records) and human-mermaid relationships were few and far between.

They had all watched Evie's first pregnancy with significant curiosity and he was, admittedly, a bit relieved when she had given birth to a seemingly human baby girl. Even though Zac was a full merman and Evie had been enchanted, little Clara had been no different than any other child born on land. She didn't change when she got wet, and she was able to safely attend nursery school like most regular toddlers.

Ethan, who was born two years later, had also seemed to have missed the merperson gene. David would have loved his son no matter what, of course—and had absolutely no objection to having a child as beautiful and magical as his wife. But, from a practical standpoint, he had known that his son's life would be easier if he didn't have to worry about getting splashed and sprouting a tail. As he knew from Sirena and his other mer-people friends, it was hard to avoid water and one had to constantly be vigilant. It would have been nearly impossible to keep an infant or toddler dry at all times, and there was no way they would have been able to send him to a regular school during his early development.

A few years ago, however, they had all realized that looks could be deceiving.

Zac's adoptive father, who was now a retired doctor (and had learned about the "big secret" decades ago), had agreed to run a few tests on the oldest children. Despite their seemingly human appearances, he had discovered that both Ethan and Clara had significant amounts of mer-DNA in their systems. More surprisingly, after a couple of years of monitoring, Dr. Blakely had observed that those parts of them seemed to be gaining dominance in their systems, and he speculated that they would be more mer-person than human by their early teens.

It was scientifically impossible but, as they all knew, everything changed when magic was involved.

Rita had backed-up this theory by doing some intensive research into old mermaid legends. According to her, there were whispers about the significance of "the thirteenth year" and they had all waited with baited breath as Clara's thirteenth birthday had approached.

Sure enough, as the sun had set on that fateful evening, the girl had waded into the ocean and emerged with a shimmering copper tail for the very first time. Overall, it had been a joyful occasion, and Clara had continued to manage to get by in mortal schools just like her parents had. Sure, things were a bit more complicated now—but she had always wanted a tail and she bore the responsibility well.

David could tell, however, that things would not be quite as jubilant now that Ethan's turn had arrived.

Two years ago, he had been the only one who did not openly celebrate Clara's change and he had quietly admitted to his parents that he was worried about what was going to happen to him when he turned thirteen. At the time, they had reassured him that nothing was for certain, and that they would get through it no matter what—that had seemed to provide him with some comfort for a while but, as the decisive birthday approached, they had both sensed that their son's mood had changed.

They all knew what was about to come.

Ethan and Clara were more similar than they seemed and there was little doubt that he faced the same fate. Despite the enchantment placed on her by the moon pool, Dr. Blakely had discovered that Evie's DNA had remained 100% human. She was merely under a spell, and the basic core of her being had never changed. Clara, therefore, was genetically only half mer-person (because of her father)—just like Ethan.

Everyone, including their son, was fully aware of this—and, while Ethan had never said it out loud, David was pretty sure that he wasn't keen to become a merman.

He hadn't had the heart to tell his wife that, however. As hard as it was for him to see the boy struggle with his feelings and his identity, he knew that Sirena would be hurt if she knew how Ethan truly felt. It was her world, after all, and she was the reason he was about to become part of it.

They had discussed the situation, of course, but Sirena had asserted that their son was just nervous and would adjust quickly after he changed. In her view, the ocean was a magnificent place and he would soon learn to savour his bond to the sea.

David had done his best to believe her but, in all honesty, he was finding it difficult. Ethan didn't just seem nervous—he seemed angry. Bitter. And he had taken to rolling his eyes and scoffing anytime someone mentioned mer-people magic, his birthday, or the ocean.

There was no doubt in the father's mind that it was going to be a difficult evening.

"Dad, I'm hungry!" A small voice said to his left, momentarily breaking David away from his thoughts. "I don't wanna wait for Ethan."

Despite his current worries, the man smiled down at his six-year old daughter, Maggie. Unlike her brother, she absolutely loved everything to do with mermaids and the sea and she was already talking about her own transformation with excitement (much to the aggravation of her brother).

"Alright, squirt." He replied, tousling her wavy blonde hair. "Why don't you go around to the back—we'll meet you there as soon as…"

His words were cut off by the sound of footsteps crunching loudly against the stone walkway. Apparently, Ethan had finally decided to approach—albeit with a dark scowl on his face.

"Oh, come on sweetheart." Sirena said gently, throwing an arm around their son's shoulder. "Try to smile at least a little. It's your birthday, and Uncle Zac is making crayfish and prawns."

In response, the boy merely shrugged before forging ahead through the back gate and out of sight.

As the two parents exchanged a worried look, their daughter let out a frustrated huff. "Why is he so grumpy today?" She asked, folding her arms across her petite chest. "I'M the one who should be grumpy. I have to wait _seven more years_ before I get to have a tail."

Despite the levity of the current situation, David chuckled at his daughter's innocent remark. She clearly could not conceive of how anyone could see becoming a mer-person as a bad thing and he was grateful to know that the next big family milestone would be a happy event.

Scooping her up, David held the girl close and placed a quick peck on her cheek. "Don't worry, you'll be a mermaid before you know it." He said, reassuringly.

Beside him, Sirena smiled proudly.

"I'll be just like mommy!" She proclaimed, letting out a small giggle. Much to his surprise, Maggie then paused and he could tell that the wheels in her head were turning. Before he could ask her what was wrong, however, the young girl spoke again. "But Ethan will never be like you, daddy." She said thoughtfully. "Maybe that's why he's so mad."

David's stomach did an odd flip as she made that simple proclamation. He had never thought about the situation in those terms and he instantly began to wonder if his daughter had just stumbled across a key point.

He and his son had always been close. In fact, ever since he could talk, Ethan had said that he wanted to 'just like his dad.' David had always swelled with pride when he spoke that way and he was thrilled when his son wanted to spend time with him. Ethan loved helping out at the café, and he particularly loved the long fishing trips that they often took near Mako. David valued that father and son time too, and he had no intention of letting things between them change any time soon.

But, he realized, certain things were going to have to be modified after tonight. Once Ethan got his tail, it would be risky for him to help at the restaurants (he certainly wouldn't be able to wipe tables or serve drinks, at least until he figured out how to stay dry). And fishing trips would be nearly impossible—water always splashed into the boat, and one couldn't reel in a fish without getting a few drops of water on them. Days at the beach…camping trips…so many things that had once seemed simple wouldn't be so straightforward anymore.

David could hardly believe that he hadn't thought about that before, and he wondered if those sorts of things had been on Ethan's mind.

"Why don't we go join the others?" He heard Sirena suggest.

He let out a small sigh as his wife placed a tender hand on his shoulder and offered him a reassuring smile.

It was going to be a difficult evening. He knew that already.

But, like he had told Sirena many times during their years together, he wouldn't have changed anything about his family.

To him, they were perfect.

He just hoped that his son would one day feel the same way.

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"And then we spent the afternoon over by the reef, chatting with a few dolphins." Mimmi said, grinning from ear to ear. "It was, by far, one of the best dates I have ever been on."

Sirena clapped her hands with delight and Evie offered her sister-in-law an excited smile.

The barbeque was in full swing, and David was currently sitting at a large lawn table with some of his oldest friends, catching up on their latest news.

It was nice, as always, to be with them all—but he could not stop stealing nervous glances at his son. Ethan was currently sitting on a large rock across the yard, chatting with Ben and Liam, Cam and Carly's twin boys. Like Ethan, they were twelve, and all three boys were in the same year at school. The sight of his closest friends had cheered him up significantly, and he seemed content enough…for now.

Biting his lip nervously, David did his best to focus on the conversation in front of him. He did not want to appear rude, nor did he want the others to know how worried he was about the events to come. After all, most of them were merpeople and, like Sirena, they might be offended by his trepidation.

It was best to put on a brave face and hope for the best.

"So, who is this bloke, exactly?" Zac asked his sister after taking a sip of his beer. "Where did you meet him?"

Mimmi giggled. "He was just passing by Mako with a few members of the eastern pod." She replied, a dreamy hint in her voice. "He lives off the coast of Indonesia, but he loves spending time down here as well. We're meeting up again next week. _And_ he said he is going to bring me a string of pearls from the eastern waters."

"Ooo, how lovely." Carly cut in cheerily. Sirena nodded in agreement.

Zac, however, let out an unimpressed scoff. "Sounds a bit sleazy to me." He noted before a playful smile crossed his lips. "I don't trust mermen—they're usually much too handsome and suave."

"Yeah, mermen make terrible husbands." Evie quipped, sending the man a pointed look.

The others laughed and Mimmi slapped her brother good-naturedly on the arm. "Well, that's why I'm not introducing you to him. Ever." She retorted. "Especially not after what happened last time…"

They all laughed again, this time remembering Zac's last disastrous encounter with one of Mimmi's love interests. Even though they were all adults now, the merman was very protective of his sister and was known for scaring away potential suitors with his well-meaning but ominous questions.

"I said I was sorry!" Zac proclaimed with a chuckle. "I'll be better this time, I swear."

Mimmi was about to respond but, before the siblings' bickering could continue, the sound of shouting near the shore distracted the adults from their conversation.

Zac and Evie's house was in a secluded spot (which made for much safer for mer-people) and, even without turning around, they all knew that their children were the source of the commotion. Nervous that this had something to do with Ethan and his gloomy mood, David instantly bolted to his feet and started to walk quickly towards the kids.

As he approached, he could see Ben, Liam and Ethan squaring off against Clara and Cam and Carly's teenage son, Owen. Maggie and Jason (Zac and Evie's youngest) looked on with interest.

"Don't be such a child, it's only a bit of water." Fifteen-year-old Clara proclaimed, folding her arms across her chest and flicking her dark hair across her shoulder defiantly.

"I told you to leave me alone!" Ethan shot back, his eyes narrowed at his unofficial cousin. "I don't want to get wet!"

Much to the boy's annoyance, the girl simply scoffed. "You're a merman. You should get used to the water." She retorted before sending another few splashes towards him with a subtle flick of her fingers.

"No I'm NOT!" He shouted, his face growing redder by the second.

"Fine. You're not right now. But give it a few hours."

As Clara finished speaking, Ethan threw up his hands in frustration. His annoyance quickly turned to surprise, however, as a large stream of water magically flew across the small patch of beach, drenching the object of his ire.

Ethan looked down at his hands with a combination of shock and despair while Clara, knowing that she only had a few seconds left before her transformation, quickly waded into the water. As soon as her tail appeared, she opened her mouth to continue the argument—before she could, however, Zac (who had followed David to the shore) cut her off.

"That's enough, Clara." He proclaimed, his tone and glare indicating that he was serious. "I don't know what you two were fighting about, but you need to apologize and leave your cousin alone. It's his birthday, and if he doesn't want to get splashed, it's his call."

Clara rolled her eyes in a way that only teenage girls seemed to be able to before reluctantly muttering an apology.

Ethan, however, was still looking down at his hands and hardly seemed to notice that anyone else was speaking.

David looked towards his son, concerned.

"Ethan, are you okay?" He began, reaching out towards the boy. Ethan instantly jumped back, his eyes wide with fear.

"I…I…sorry." He stuttered, looking towards his father for the briefest of seconds before taking off towards the backdoor of the house and rushing inside.

As far as David knew, it was the first time the boy had done magic—the first time he had shown control over water—and he was willing to bet that Ethan was pretty spooked. They had always known what was coming but this, more than anything, seemed to confirm his fate.

"Come on, Owen." He heard Clara say, her tail flicking up towards the surface. "If Ethan wants to be lame, let's swim without him."

Zac shot his daughter a warning look while Cam and Carly's son, who had an undeniable crush on the young mermaid, eagerly pulled off his shirt and dove in after her.

David let out a soft sigh as he watched the scene unfold. He instantly recognized the dreamy look in Owen's eyes—it was the same look he often had when he swam with his wife. Even after all of these years, she was still mesmerizing to him—especially when she took on her true form. Mermaids were undeniably beautiful, and he felt amazingly lucky to be sharing his life with the kindest and most loving mermaid he knew.

It light of the current situation, however, David could not suppress the dark voice inside of him that wondered if they had been selfish to bring children into this world without any thought for the possible consequences. Ethan was clearly not coping with his dual identity well, and it wasn't fair that, from this day forward, he would forever be torn between two worlds.

"Do you want me to talk to him?"

David jumped slightly as Zac placed a hand on his shoulder. The other adults had remained back on the patio and David was grateful to have his friend there to help deal with Clara and Ethan's fight.

It made him uncomfortable, however, to think that Zac might be better equipped to help Ethan through his current struggle.

Maggie had been right, after all—Ethan wasn't like him, anymore.

He was like Zac…

And David could not suppress the sinking feeling that his son was slipping away.

"Look, mate, I can tell that the last few weeks have been rough on you guys." Zac continued, his voice hushed so that the other kids could not overhear. "But I do know what he's going through. I struggled a lot when I first transformed— but it does get better. He might find it reassuring to hear that."

David let out a long breath and tried to muster a small smile.

It was a nice offer, and he knew that Zac meant well, but he also wasn't willing to pass the buck quite yet.

Ethan was his son, and a silly transformation was not going to change the relationship they had.

He would do anything to make sure of that.

"Thanks, Zac." He began, nodding towards his friend. "But I think I'll try talking to him a bit first."

"Yeah, of course." Zac agreed warmly. There was a brief pause. "And don't worry, everything is going to be fine."

David nodded again.

He wished that he could truly agree.

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It didn't take long to find Ethan.

Thankfully, he hadn't attempted to hide himself and David had quickly seen him sitting on the couch in Zac and Evie's living room.

He barely acknowledged his father as he approached but, much to the man's relief, he didn't instantly get mad or flee either.

"Hey, Ethan." David said, hoping his voice didn't sound too apprehensive. He didn't want to put on a fake cheerful façade, but he did not want to appear too worried either.

He was aiming for fatherly reassurance right now, and he prayed that he was pulling it off.

"Don't let Clara get to you, okay? You don't have to do anything you're not comfortable with."

David had hoped that his comments would break the ice but, instead, Ethan let out an annoyed snort.

"Yeah. Right." He replied, his voice laced with bitterness.

As anticipated, this was not going to be an easy conversation and David braced himself for the worst as he took a seat in the nearest chair.

"I'm serious, Ethan." He tried again, wishing that his son would make eye contact. The boy's gaze, however, remained resolutely locked on the glass of water someone had left on the coffee table and David could sense that he was purposefully trying not to engage.

All of this was so entirely unlike the son he was used to—but, he supposed, this entire situation was unlike anything they had gone through before.

Ethan's trepidation and discomfort was totally understandable, and David found himself wishing that there was something he could do to make all of his worries go away. For once, however, he knew that he was completely helpless…and it was not a pleasant feeling for any caring father.

Ethan had been born this way, and he was going to transform in a few short hours.

After that, there would be no going back—and the boy's only option was to cope the best he could.

It was an awkward, but unavoidable, truth.

"If you don't want to be here, we can go home. If you had told us that you didn't want to come, we wouldn't have forced you to." He paused, carefully searching for his next words. "I know that this is probably difficult for you—and if you don't want to take your first swim with lots of people around, I totally understand."

"No." Ethan replied quickly, looking towards his father for the first time since his arrival. " _You_ don't understand. _You're_ human."

Silence hung in the air after the boy finished his virulent proclamation.

David felt as if he had been pierced by an arrow and he drew a deep breath in an attempt to steady himself. In truth, he was already quite rattled—as he had suspected, his son felt that there was a growing divide between them and perhaps there was nothing he could say to convince him otherwise.

After all, he had a valid point. David was human and he didn't understand what it was like to be a merman. He had no idea how it felt to feel different than most of the people around him. To have his live turned upside down in a single instant…

Maybe Zac had been right.

"Look, maybe if you talk to Zac he can help you—"

"NO!" Ethan proclaimed again, this time standing up from his seat. He let out several tense huffs as he began to pace back and forth in front of the table, undeniably agitated.

David had never seen his son this riled up, and he had no idea what to do.

No idea what to say.

Thankfully, Ethan soon began to speak again. "I don't want to talk to Uncle Zac!" He exclaimed, his voice rising. "And I don't want to be like Uncle Zac! I want to be like you!"

His words rang through the air and, despite his best effort, David could not stop his eyes from widening in surprise.

He had not expected his son to speak so bluntly and, quite frankly, he was a bit astonished that his guess had been bang on.

Clearly, Ethan did not want to grow apart from his father—and David was filled with an odd combination of pride and sadness.

On the one hand, he was thrilled that his son (apparently) still admired him and wanted to be as much like him as possible. It was every father's dream, and it made him feel as if he had done something right. On the other hand he knew that Ethan was right to worry—they were fundamentally different, and his son would always face challenges and obstacles that he did not.

In his opinion, though, that wasn't entirely a bad thing. It would be a nuisance to avoid water, of course—and there would probably be some close calls over the years. But the fact that Ethan was part of an extraordinary secret world and would develop traits and powers most people could only dream about struck him as a gift.

He just wished that the boy could see it that way.

"Ethan." He began slowly, standing up from his seat so that he could place a firm hand on his son's shoulder. The preteen was almost his height now and, despite his blonde hair, he bore a striking resemblance to him. That, at least, would never change.

"Today—all of this—it's the beginning of something new. And I can see how that can be scary. Even if I haven't been through exactly the same thing, I know how hard change can be. But it's part of life."

The boy shrugged and attempted to look nonchalant, but David continued, hoping that some of what he said would get through.

"But even though there will be new things to deal with now, that doesn't mean everything has to change. Sure, you'll be a merman when you're in the water— but you can still live the sort of life you want on land."

Ethan shook his head and took a step back, pulling away from his father's touch. "That's a total lie, dad, and you know it." He retorted, crossing his arms defiantly. "There is water everywhere on land. I won't be able to relax anymore! Ever! I'm not going to be able to go swimming at the beach, or fishing near Mako. I won't be able to go to pool parties with my friends, or walk outside when it's raining. It'll be too risky to help you at the café and…" He hesitated. "And I'm never going to be able to run it when you retire. You'll have to sell it, because I'm a freak."

David furrowed his brow and looked towards his son with surprise.

"Is that really what you think?" He asked.

The boy nodded, suddenly looking younger and more vulnerable than he had before.

It had been weird to hear him lay it all out there like that, so bluntly, and David could sense that he had been holding all of those thoughts inside for months.

He wished Ethan had felt comfortable enough to share his fears sooner—but he was grateful that he was, at least, willing to confess them now.

"Look, to some extent, you're right." David began slowly. "You'll have to be more careful and more aware of your surroundings. But your mother and your aunts and your uncle had all been through this before, and they have come up with a million ways to avoid getting wet."

Ethan looked down at the floor. "I guess." He muttered reluctantly.

"There are a few things you won't be able to do." He continued. "But that sacrifice seems worth it when you think about all of the awesome things you will get to do. You'll get to explore a whole other world and do all sorts of amazing things that make you incredibly special."

His son shrugged, and David was almost certain that he saw the faintest of smiles flicker across his face.

"And, most importantly." He began again, taking another step towards the boy. "No matter how you change or what you do, you always— _always_ —be my son. I will always be extremely proud of you and I will always want to spent time with you. End of story."

Much to his relief, Ethan finally looked up from the floor and David could see his expression soften. There was a slight redness in his eyes, but the hint of a smile had also begun to grow.

"You're a smart kid." He stated, ruffling the boy's sandy hair playfully, as he often did. "You'll find a way to overcome your challenges and, if you really do want to run the café one day, I know you'll be brilliant at it."

There was a pause.

"Okay." Ethan replied, catching David off guard with a tight hug.

For a long moment, David simply revelled in it.

He still wished that things were easier, and that he could do more to bring his son comfort during this challenging time—but he was undeniably grateful that things were not as dire as he had feared.

Ethan had not completely shut down—he had not drifted away. He was just worried and anxious, and he had needed to know that his father would support him, no matter what.

"I love you, dad."

"I love you too." He replied, unable to suppress a grin.

David watched as the boy drew a few deep breaths to steady himself as his gaze drifted towards the backyard.

There was no doubt that he had his trepidations, and wished that things were different. But David also knew that Ethan was brave and determined. He truly would be fine, and this day would soon be a distant memory.

"I think I can do this." The boy proclaimed.

"Of course you can." David replied, placing his hand on Ethan's shoulder once again. "You're Ethan Sullivan. And Sullivan men can do anything they set their minds to."

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 _ **EPILOGUE**_

As the sun began to dip below the horizon and David could see his son clench his fists nervously.

Once they had returned to the rest of the group, Ethan had been in much better spirits but (understandably) he had been unable to take his mind off of what was to come. It was certainly a monumental day, and David was glad that it had not been entirely bad—despite the rocky start.

"Are you ready, sweetheart?" Sirena asked, drawing her son into a gentle hug. "It will feel wonderful, trust me. Swimming through the open ocean is am amazing experience."

The boy mustered a nervous smile and nodded towards his mother. "Yeah, mum. I'm sure it is."

"Do you want me to jump in with you?" She asked gently.

Ethan hesitated as he surveyed the scene around him. Everyone else was standing a few feet away—Zac, Evie, Mimmi, Carly, Cam, Maggie, Jason, Owen, Ben, Liam, Clara—their entire extended 'family' had gathered on the beach, happy to share in this special moment.

Much to David's surprise, Ethan smiled.

"I think we should all go in together." He proclaimed, gesturing for everyone to move closer.

Sirena smiled, already proud of her son and the new phase he was about to embark on. And, as Ethan took both of their hands, David smiled too.

It was a weird life he led, there was no doubt about that.

But he wouldn't have traded his amazing, magical, family for anything.

And yes, Ethan had an interesting journey ahead—but at least he knew that he would never be alone. His parents would always be there for him, and so would everyone else who had gathered on that beautiful day.

"Ready?" David asked, looking towards his son.

"Ready." Ethan replied.

And with that, they waded into the lapping waves.


End file.
